Gas generating method



Aug; 5, 1941,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aflbme i H. E. HOWARD 2,251,795

GAS GENERATING METHOD Filed April 19, 1935 Patented Aug. 5, 1941 Bar-hot; a corpoon of licntion April l9, 1935, Serial No. 17,191

h Claims. W5. da -213) My invention relates to n gas genera, on na tus. g

As is wellunderstood by those smiled in this art, there are several diifcrent methods of gm crating gas from a. more or less volatile moterlnl and one of these is disclosed in the patent to Curme, Jr., et al. No. 15383.34, patented A 9, 1927. in this disclosure the patentee utilizes at least two combustible materials of dill volatility stored in separate one of mid materials having difierent cteristios from the other one. 1

Some of the disodvnnes of this n he in the requirement that two les are newsary. Also two ct and difierent volatile gases are no. These gases have dific cteristics and dlilercnt B. t. 12. content 1 obviously frequent edients of the m media would he nec and involve more or less trouble.

My system is much improved ovcr the one just desorlhed inasmuch as it is not only more s or.

o but is more silent and is cheaper to operate and will operate under more variable conditi but yet will produce a vapor of stable specific volume and of unii'orm has value.

Also. my system does not require the application' of any heat thereto inasmuch as I utilize the heat from'the earth. Aim, I utilize butane as my combustible material and my arrangement is such that a. 180 gallon tank. buried several feet below the earths surface, is suillcient for use for one year under ordinary conditions for a. single famlh.

Another feature of invention resides in the manner in which I transfer the butane from the tank wagon to the underground tank with a minimum amount of labor and expense and also is practically no fire hazard during this transfer. Thus the system is practical from all angles and produces a. gas of stable characteristics at a very reasonable cost.

Another advantage is my method of u a vacuum pump for aiding in the transfer of the liquid. Also, this same pump may be M, due to its novel attachments, as a means for musferring a. quantity of gas above the liquid in the tankwhichisbeingfilled. 'l'hisservastwopurposes. In the first place it starts the customer orconsumeroffwithafulltankofgosundsec ondlv, it prevents waste of the gas.

It is to be appreciated that the able liquid might not only include butane but also pentane, hexane. and other higher together with any olefin, aromatic alicyclic or other compound of suitable volatility, or ethane, propone, ethylene or other high volatile tcrials, or any chemical compound of like nature.

Qther advantages and features will become ap- E'H. refer to like parts throughout several views.

N to indicates a n: of the d onpucity, soy 18d sons, and H is loco "351! or ground H as shown. Foruss in mat sly threes fest iron the .earths surface in lm. per-hops five or an feet under the e 5 surface in Northern Michigan. Thus the tcmturo oi the tnnlr and its con tents wouldhorntnined at n mnstout temperature n whom 60'' F. although in tee this t sometimes p to F. ond in the er might run as high as 70'' F.

The is has a partition 12 welded or 0th erwise fastened at l3 completely around the intcrlor oi the tank so as to divide the into compartments of suitable size. As shown, one of these cements is considerably larger than the other one. The partition I! has a small orifice or ums. I! located an inch or so from its bottom. This orifice is always made smaller than the 0 l5 which will be referred to later in the specificafion. In this particular instancgthe orifice i4 may be approximately oneeighth inch in diameter. Or, the partition may contain a small opening at or near itsrbottom, which 11 =1 tion in the partition, would plisl'i the some results as claimed for the ement with an orifice as shown at ii. Any sort of an openingat or nearthebottomofthetanksothot the liquid may puss from one compartment to another coment may be u but the flow is controlled or regulated as deslred,by predeterminedly fixing the size of the opening.

The partition I! has a second opening is, a. short distanoefrornthetopofthetaninand a. pipe I is welded or tightly fitted in this openmg and leads downwardly into the smaller oomzm' its shape or posb' partment II as clearly shown in Fig. 1. An outlet pipe I I leads from the smaller compartment i1 and carries the gas or vapor .to its point of consumption.

The other compartment is designated by the reference numeral! and has two spaced pipes l9 and 20 leading upwardly therefrom and carrying valves 2i and 22, respectively, at their upper ends. These pipes extend downwardly into the compartment it below the lowermost point of the opening l5.

Numeral 30 indicates the tank of the supply wagon'which carries the butane or the-like 40. A valved outlet 3| leads from the bottom of this tank 30 into the hose 32 and into the transparent member 33 carrying the revoluble vane 34. A valve 36 is located below the transparent member 33. This valve 38 receives a union 35 whereby the same may be detachably connected to the valve 22.

Another valved outlet 36' leads into the hose 31 to a transparent member 38, having a revoluble vane 39. A revoluble union member 42 is located below the member Stand detachably connects the end of this hose onto the pipe i9 as clearly shown.

Referring now to Fig. 2, numeral 50 indicates a tank, buried a predetermined distance, having a partition i therein whereby the tank is divided into two compartments. A gas outlet 52 leads I from one compartment. Filling pipes 53' lead into the other compartment.

A'U-shaped pipe 55 tightly extends through the partition 5i near its top and terminates with one arm 56 near the bottom of the larger compartment and with its other arm or depending portion 51 extending to near the bottom of the other compartment. The portion 51 has a restricted nozzle opening 58.

Referring now to Fig. 3, numeral it indicates the tank, buried in the earth II, and having the outlet pipe 18. Filling pipes l9 and 20 lead upwardly from the tank It and are equipped with valves 2| and 22'.

The tank wagon 9, carries the tank 39, having a valved outlet'ti near its bottom. A hose 32 connects to the valved outlet 3| and terminates in a transparent gauge 33, valve 38 and union 3B.

A second union 42 connects onto the valve 1| and leads upwardly to the transparentmember 30 which in turn connects onto the hose 31.

A vacuum pump it has an inlet 6i which is branched to form an upwardly extending pipe 62 and a laterally extending pipe 63, the former having a valve 84 and the latter a valve 65. The pipe or hose 31. previously referred to, connects onto the valve G5.

The vacuum pump 80 has an outlet valved at r 2,251,795 v I space above the butane so, in both compartments,

is filled with inflammable gas under exactly the same pressure.

when the gas is burned at its point oi use, the gas will flow through the outlet pipe l8 and consequently the pressure. within the compartment I! will be reduced. It the use of the gas is slow the butane will simply vaporize ciently to maintain the vapor pressure in the compartment it constant. However, if the gas is used more rapidly, as is ordinarily the case, then the reduction ofpressure within the compent II will cause the pressure within the compartment 8 to push the gas therein through the agitating tube is. This will cause the same to bubble upwardly through the butane in the 'compartment ill and agitate it and generate additional gas. The greater the use oi gas the greater its flow through the outlet pipe i8 will be and consequently the reduction of pressure in the chamber i! will be increased. This will cause even more of the gas to flow from 8 through the pipe it and bubble upwardly to increase the agitation and thus automatically generate a II and 12 and leading into the tank so at the top thereof. A pipe or connection 13 extends i'rom the portion '01 the pipe I0 between the valves II and I2 downwardly into the valve 84.

A pipe II, having a valve "l1. leads from the outlet pipej", below the valve ii, to the hose or passageway 31. Gauges I8 and 19 are located as shown.

The operation After the tank II has been filled with the butane ll, the same gradually-comes to the same temperature as the earth surrounding it.- The' larger supply of gas. Thus, the greater the demand for gas, the greater the agitation and consequently the greater the generation of the gas. As will be readily apparent; gas will be required in varying amounts at difierent times. For example, prior to the evening meal, the maximum demand is usually present. Thus, the demand for gas is varying and fluctuating.

The opening it is a restricted opening and this prevents any rapid flow oi butane therethrough. of course. some butane will flow through this opening under the variable gas pressures but there will not be suilicient flow to interfere with the operation'set forth above. Furthermore, this flow of the butane through the orifice II or other suitable opening will cause additional agitation which will likewise advantageously function to produce additional gas.

with reference to Fig. 2, the decreasein the smaller compartment due to the out flow of gas through the outlet pipe 52, will cause a diflerentie! in pressure to result whereby the liquid will flow upwardly through the arm 58 and then around the top of this pipe and downwardly through the arm 5? and out oi the restricted member or nozzle 58 thus giving agitation and additional gas. The greater the difierential, the

greater the agitation as is desirable and necessary and as is obtained by my construction.

The filling, necessary every year or so, is accomplished by a' truck carrying the tank to.

The several conduits are connected together as shown in Fig. 1, all oi the valves beingclosed.

The first step is to open the valves 30 and 2| whereby the gas pressure in the tank'wagon l0 and the gas pressure in the underground tank will be equalized. Next the valves 8i, 38 and 22 are opened and the liquid gravitates from the tank 36 tothe underground tank is. This flow continues until the bottom of the pipe l9, leading upwardly to the hose 31, is covered by the liquid and, when this occurs, the flow continues for a short time until the gas pressure-in the tank It builds up and causes the liquid to rise upwardly through the transparent member 38 to cause the revoluble vane 39 to revolve. When this occurs, the operator understands that the filling is finished and disconnects the unions I5 and I! from the valve 22 and 2| previously having-closed the several valves.

It the operator does not notice the revolving of the vane 39, no harm is done because the flow of liquid automatically ceases inasmuch as the pressure within the hose 31. is balanced by rising to the same height as the butane within the tank 30.

Although the-filling pipes l9 and 20 are shown as extending into the tank ill the same distance, it is to be understood that it is only the extension of the outlet pipe l9, which is connected to the hose 37, which controls the automatic cessa tion of the flow of the liquid. Also, it is to be understood that the butane 40 flows through the orifice [4 during the filling operation and thus the entire tank is filled to the desired level. The novel manner of extending the pipe l9 into the tank and the system or method utilized is necessary as space must be left above the liquid for a certain quantity of gas to gather and to be stored. Approximately thirty gallons of space should be left in a one hundred eighty gallon tank above the liquid level.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the vacuum pump 60 may be .operated in order to reduce the pressure within the underground tank. The valves 64 and Ti should be closed and the valves 65, H and [2 should be open. This draws the gas or vapor upwardly through the hose 31, the valve 2| having been opened, and then through the valve 65 and forces the gas upwardly through the direct connection 10 to the space above the butane 40.

Thus the pressure is decreased in the tank which I claim: 1. The method of producing gas which consists in providing liquid butane or the like in two separate chambers to only a predetermined depth or liquid in the chamber below the space from which the gasto be used is withdrawn, said flows of liquid and gas having a predetermined relationship is to be filled and increased in the tank which is to be emptied, this manner of operation giving main closed until the vacuum within the tank I0 is reduced to a desired amount and then opened, the vacuum pump 60 having ceased its operation, and this is desirable inasmuch as it permits the operator of the truck to more expediently leave the filling manipulation unattended as he inspects the stoves, lamps, and the like which are utilized in the manufactured gas.

When this is done, the flow of the butane will cease automatically because the lower end of the pipe 20 will be covered with the liquid and after a further rise the pressure will build up within the tank l0 until it balances thepressure head of the butane and its vapor pressure thereabove. The next step is the opening of the valves 64 and TI and the closing of the valves 65 and 16. Upon operation of the vacuum pump 60, the gas or vapor of the butane will be drawn through a portion of the pipe 10. then downwardly throu h the open valve 64 and into the vacuum pump 60. The vacuum pump 60 will discharge the gas unwardly throu h a short portion of the pipe 10 and then laterally through the pipe 1G.. thenconsumer is assured of a full and complete meassuch that the withdrawal of gas from said one of said spaces will diminish its'pressure sufliciently to cause the gas pressure in the other space to overbalance the controlled gradually increasing liquid pressure in the chamberbelow the space from which the gas to be used is withdrawn whereby the said flow of gas between the chambers will occur.

2. The method of producing gas from, an inflammable homogeneous liquid hydrocarbon which consists in locating the same in two separate bodies at the same altitude, providing a chamber of predetermined size above each, leading gas from one chamber to its points of use and leading gas with but little pressure drop from the other chamber to a point within the liquid hydrocarbon in the place below the chamber from which the gas flows to its points of use and causing a slow rate of flow between the two chambers.

3. The method of producing gas from a hydrocarbon liquid such as butane which consists of placing a quantity of the'same liquid in each of two adjacent chambers located substantially in the same level, one of said chambers being a. gas supply chamber and the other being a fuel reserve chamber, closing said fuel reserve chamber to the exterior, flowing gas from said gas supply chamber, conducting gas formedin said fuel reserve chamber intosaid gas supply chamber below the level of liquid therein and conducting liquid from said fuel reserve chamber into said gas supply chamber at a considerably lesser rate of ure of gas after the refilling operation and furchamber to reduce the pressure therein, conducting gas from said fuel reserve chamber into said gas supply chamber below the level of liquid therein and overcoming the hydrostatic pressure thus encountered by means of differences in pressure resulting from said flowing gas from said gas supply chamber and conducting liquid from said fuel reserve chamber into the said gas supply chamber at a considerably lesser rate of flow than the gas outlet from said gas supply chamber.

5. The method of producing gas from a hydrocarbon liquid such as butane which consists of placing a quantity of the same liquid in each of two chambers, one of said chambers being a gas supply chamber and the other being a fuel reserve chamber, closing said fuel reserve chamher to the exterior, flowing gas from said gas supply chamber to reduce the pressure therein, conducting gas from saidiuel reserve chamber into said gas supply chamber below the level of liquid therein and overcoming the hydrostatic pressure thus encountered by means 0! differences in pressure resulting from said flowing gas from said gas supply chamber and conducting liquid from said fuel reserve chamber into said gas supply chamber at a considerable lesser rate of flow than the gas outlet from said gas supply chamber or vice versa, the flow of said liquid between said chambers being governed by differences in pressure between said chambers. A 6. The method of producing combustible gas from a normally gaseous liquefied combustible which comprises'maintaining out of communication with the atmosphere a, supply of said liquefied combustible in two bodies having normally-a common level with vapor spaces thereabove and in separate but communicating chambersfwithdrawing vapor of the combustible to a point of use from the vapor space of one chamber, simultaneously causing thereby vapor from the vapor space of the other chamber to be delivered through a conduit therefrom to a point from a normally gaseous liquefied combustible which comprises maintai 1: out of communication with the atmosphere a supply of said liquefled -.combustiblee in two bodies having vapor spaces thereabove and in separate but communicating chambers, withdrawing vapor ofkthe combustible to a point of use from the vapor space of one chamber, simultaneously causing thereby vapor from the vapor space of the other chamber to be delivered through a conduit therefrom to a point below the surface and within the liquefied combustible in the first-mentioned chamber, and causing the liquefied combustible in the second chamber to exert a pressure and level equalizing effect on the liquefied. combustible in the first chamber by flow through a restricted communicationtherebetween.

8. The process of generating gas from a vola? tile liquid hydrocarbon which comprises enclosing the same in two chambers, withdrawing the gas to be used from the upper part of the first chamber, passing the gas from the upper part of the second chamber into the first chamber below the level of the liquid hydrocarbon therein when the pressure in the first chamber is lower than the pressure in the second chamber and providing a limited flow of liquid between the two chambers to gradually equalize their respective pressures and liquid levels.

m:- E. HOW. 

